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Lee FFY, Alper S. Alternative pre-mRNA splicing as a mechanism for terminating Toll-like Receptor signaling. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1023567. [PMID: 36531997 PMCID: PMC9755862 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1023567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
While inflammation induced by Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling is required to combat infection, persistent inflammation can damage host tissues and contribute to a myriad of acute and chronic inflammatory disorders. Thus, it is essential not only that TLR signaling be activated in the presence of pathogens but that TLR signaling is ultimately terminated. One mechanism that limits persistent TLR signaling is alternative pre-mRNA splicing. In addition to encoding the canonical mRNAs that produce proteins that promote inflammation, many genes in the TLR signaling pathway also encode alternative mRNAs that produce proteins that are dominant negative inhibitors of signaling. Many of these negative regulators are induced by immune challenge, so production of these alternative isoforms represents a negative feedback loop that limits persistent inflammation. While these alternative splicing events have been investigated on a gene by gene basis, there has been limited systemic analysis of this mechanism that terminates TLR signaling. Here we review what is known about the production of negatively acting alternative isoforms in the TLR signaling pathway including how these inhibitors function, how they are produced, and what role they may play in inflammatory disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Fang Yao Lee
- Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine and Center for Genes, Environment, and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz, CO, United States
| | - Scott Alper
- Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine and Center for Genes, Environment, and Health, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO, United States,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz, CO, United States,*Correspondence: Scott Alper,
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2
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Guillemin A, Kumar A, Wencker M, Ricci EP. Shaping the Innate Immune Response Through Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression Mediated by RNA-Binding Proteins. Front Immunol 2022; 12:796012. [PMID: 35087521 PMCID: PMC8787094 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.796012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immunity is the frontline of defense against infections and tissue damage. It is a fast and semi-specific response involving a myriad of processes essential for protecting the organism. These reactions promote the clearance of danger by activating, among others, an inflammatory response, the complement cascade and by recruiting the adaptive immunity. Any disequilibrium in this functional balance can lead to either inflammation-mediated tissue damage or defense inefficiency. A dynamic and coordinated gene expression program lies at the heart of the innate immune response. This expression program varies depending on the cell-type and the specific danger signal encountered by the cell and involves multiple layers of regulation. While these are achieved mainly via transcriptional control of gene expression, numerous post-transcriptional regulatory pathways involving RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and other effectors play a critical role in its fine-tuning. Alternative splicing, translational control and mRNA stability have been shown to be tightly regulated during the innate immune response and participate in modulating gene expression in a global or gene specific manner. More recently, microRNAs assisting RBPs and post-transcriptional modification of RNA bases are also emerging as essential players of the innate immune process. In this review, we highlight the numerous roles played by specific RNA-binding effectors in mediating post-transcriptional control of gene expression to shape innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Guillemin
- LBMC, Laboratoire de Biologie et Modelisation de la Cellule, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5239, INSERM, U1293, Lyon, France
| | - Anuj Kumar
- CRCL, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR 5286, Lyon, France
| | - Mélanie Wencker
- LBMC, Laboratoire de Biologie et Modelisation de la Cellule, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5239, INSERM, U1293, Lyon, France
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5308, INSERM, Lyon, France
| | - Emiliano P. Ricci
- LBMC, Laboratoire de Biologie et Modelisation de la Cellule, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5239, INSERM, U1293, Lyon, France
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3
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Liao KC, Garcia-Blanco MA. Role of Alternative Splicing in Regulating Host Response to Viral Infection. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071720. [PMID: 34359890 PMCID: PMC8306335 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of transcriptional regulation of host genes in innate immunity against viral infection has been widely recognized. More recently, post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms have gained appreciation as an additional and important layer of regulation to fine-tune host immune responses. Here, we review the functional significance of alternative splicing in innate immune responses to viral infection. We describe how several central components of the Type I and III interferon pathways encode spliced isoforms to regulate IFN activation and function. Additionally, the functional roles of splicing factors and modulators in antiviral immunity are discussed. Lastly, we discuss how cell death pathways are regulated by alternative splicing as well as the potential role of this regulation on host immunity and viral infection. Altogether, these studies highlight the importance of RNA splicing in regulating host–virus interactions and suggest a role in downregulating antiviral innate immunity; this may be critical to prevent pathological inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo-Chieh Liao
- Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore 138672, Singapore
- Correspondence: (K.-C.L.); (M.A.G.-B.)
| | - Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
- Institute of Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77550, USA
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Correspondence: (K.-C.L.); (M.A.G.-B.)
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4
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Kc M, Ngunjiri JM, Lee J, Ahn J, Elaish M, Ghorbani A, Abundo MEC, Lee K, Lee CW. Avian Toll-like receptor 3 isoforms and evaluation of Toll-like receptor 3-mediated immune responses using knockout quail fibroblast cells. Poult Sci 2020; 99:6513-6524. [PMID: 33248566 PMCID: PMC7704946 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) induces host innate immune response on recognition of viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Although several studies of avian TLR3 have been reported, none of these studies used a gene knockout (KO) model to directly assess its role in inducing the immune response and effect on other dsRNA receptors. In this study, we determined the coding sequence of quail TLR3, identified isoforms, and generated TLR3 KO quail fibroblast (QT-35) cells using a CRISPR/Cas9 system optimized for avian species. The TLR3-mediated immune response was studied by stimulating the wild-type (WT) and KO QT-35 cells with synthetic dsRNA or polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] or infecting the cells with different RNA viruses such as influenza A virus, avian reovirus, and vesicular stomatitis virus. The direct poly(I:C) treatment significantly increased IFN-β and IL-8 gene expression along with the cytoplasmic dsRNA receptor, melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), in WT cells, whereas no changes in all corresponding genes were observed in KO cells. We further confirmed the antiviral effects of poly(I:C)-induced TLR3-mediated immunity by demonstrating significant reduction of virus titer in poly(I:C)-treated WT cells, but not in TLR3 KO cells. On virus infection, varying levels of IFN-β, IL-8, TLR3, and MDA5 gene upregulation were observed depending on the viruses. No major differences in gene expression level were observed between WT and TLR3 KO cells, which suggests a relatively minor role of TLR3 in sensing and exerting immune response against the viruses tested in vitro. Our data show that quail TLR3 is an important endosomal dsRNA receptor responsible for regulation of type I interferon and proinflammatory cytokine, and affect the expression of MDA5, another dsRNA receptor, most likely through cytokine-mediated communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh Kc
- Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, USA; Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - John M Ngunjiri
- Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, USA
| | - Joonbum Lee
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - Jinsoo Ahn
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - Mohamed Elaish
- Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, USA; Poultry Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Amir Ghorbani
- Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, USA; Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - Michael E C Abundo
- Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, USA; Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
| | - Kichoon Lee
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
| | - Chang-Won Lee
- Food Animal Health Research Program, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University, Wooster, USA; Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
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West KO, Scott HM, Torres-Odio S, West AP, Patrick KL, Watson RO. The Splicing Factor hnRNP M Is a Critical Regulator of Innate Immune Gene Expression in Macrophages. Cell Rep 2019; 29:1594-1609.e5. [PMID: 31693898 PMCID: PMC6981299 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.09.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
While transcriptional control of innate immune gene expression is well characterized, almost nothing is known about how pre-mRNA splicing decisions influence, or are influenced by, macrophage activation. Here, we demonstrate that the splicing factor hnRNP M is a critical repressor of innate immune gene expression and that its function is regulated by pathogen sensing cascades. Loss of hnRNP M led to hyperinduction of a unique regulon of inflammatory and antimicrobial genes following diverse innate immune stimuli. While mutating specific serines on hnRNP M had little effect on its ability to control pre-mRNA splicing or transcript levels of housekeeping genes in resting macrophages, it greatly impacted the protein's ability to dampen induction of specific innate immune transcripts following pathogen sensing. These data reveal a previously unappreciated role for pattern recognition receptor signaling in controlling splicing factor phosphorylation and establish pre-mRNA splicing as a critical regulatory node in defining innate immune outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsi O West
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Haley M Scott
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Sylvia Torres-Odio
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - A Phillip West
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
| | - Kristin L Patrick
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA.
| | - Robert O Watson
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX 77807, USA.
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Requena J, Alvarez-Palomo AB, Codina-Pascual M, Delgado-Morales R, Moran S, Esteller M, Sal M, Juan M, Boronat Barado A, Consiglio A, Bogle OA, Wolvetang E, Ovchinnikov D, Alvarez I, Jaraquemada D, Mezquita-Pla J, Oliva R, Edel MJ. Global Proteomic and Methylome Analysis in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reveals Overexpression of a Human TLR3 Affecting Proper Innate Immune Response Signaling. Stem Cells 2019; 37:476-488. [PMID: 30664289 PMCID: PMC6487958 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
When considering the clinical applications of autologous cell replacement therapy of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)‐derived cells, there is a clear need to better understand what the immune response will be before we embark on extensive clinical trials to treat or model human disease. We performed a detailed assessment comparing human fibroblast cell lines (termed F1) reprogrammed into human iPSC and subsequently differentiated back to fibroblast cells (termed F2) or other human iPSC‐derived cells including neural stem cells (NSC) made from either retroviral, episomal, or synthetic mRNA cell reprogramming methods. Global proteomic analysis reveals the main differences in signal transduction and immune cell protein expression between F1 and F2 cells, implicating wild type (WT) toll like receptor protein 3 (TLR3). Furthermore, global methylome analysis identified an isoform of the human TLR3 gene that is not epigenetically reset correctly upon differentiation to F2 cells resulting in a hypomethylated transcription start site in the TLR3 isoform promoter and overexpression in most human iPSC‐derived cells not seen in normal human tissue. The human TLR3 isoform in human iPSC‐NSC functions to suppress NF‐KB p65 signaling pathway in response to virus (Poly IC), suggesting suppressed immunity of iPSC‐derived cells to viral infection. The sustained WT TLR3 and TLR3 isoform overexpression is central to understanding the altered immunogenicity of human iPSC‐derived cells calling for screening of human iPSC‐derived cells for TLR3 expression levels before applications. stem cells2019;37:476–488
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Requena
- Molecular Genetics and Control of Pluripotency Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Belen Alvarez-Palomo
- Molecular Genetics and Control of Pluripotency Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Codina-Pascual
- Genetics Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS and Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raul Delgado-Morales
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program (PEBC), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Moran
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program (PEBC), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Manel Esteller
- Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program (PEBC), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Martí Sal
- Molecular Genetics and Control of Pluripotency Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manel Juan
- Service of Immunology, Hospital Clinic, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Boronat Barado
- Service of Immunology, Hospital Clinic, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonella Consiglio
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat 08908, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), Barcelona 08028, Spain.,Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia 25121, Italy
| | - Orleigh Addeleccia Bogle
- Genetics Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS and Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ernst Wolvetang
- Stem Cell Engineering Group, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dmitry Ovchinnikov
- Stem Cell Engineering Group, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Inaki Alvarez
- Immunology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Dolores Jaraquemada
- Immunology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology and Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jovita Mezquita-Pla
- Molecular Genetics and Control of Pluripotency Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Rafael Oliva
- Genetics Unit, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, IDIBAPS and Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Michael J Edel
- Molecular Genetics and Control of Pluripotency Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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An SY, Youn GS, Kim H, Choi SY, Park J. Celastrol suppresses expression of adhesion molecules and chemokines by inhibiting JNK-STAT1/NF-κB activation in poly(I:C)-stimulated astrocytes. BMB Rep 2017; 50:25-30. [PMID: 28027722 PMCID: PMC5319661 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2017.50.1.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In the central nervous system, viral infection can induce inflammation by up-regulating pro-inflammatory mediators that contribute to enhanced infiltration of immune cells into the central nervous areas. Celastrol is known to exert various regulatory functions, including anti-microbial activities. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effects and the mechanisms of action of celastrol against astrocytes activated with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), a synthetic dsRNA, as a model of pro-inflammatory mediated responses. Celastrol significantly inhibited poly(I:C)-induced expression of adhesion molecules, such as ICAM-1/VCAM-1, and chemokines, such as CCL2, CXCL8, and CXCL10, in CRT-MG human astroglioma cells. In addition, celastrol significantly suppressed poly(I:C)-induced activation of JNK MAPK and STAT1 signaling pathways. Furthermore, celastrol significantly suppressed poly(I:C)-induced activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. These results suggest that celastrol may exert its regulatory activity by inhibiting poly(I:C)-induced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators by suppressing activation of JNK MAPK-STAT1/NF-κB in astrocytes. [BMB Reports 2017; 50(1): 25-30].
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Yeon An
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Gi Soo Youn
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Hyejin Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Soo Young Choi
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Jinseu Park
- Department of Biomedical Science and Research Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
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RAGE deficiency alleviates aortic valve calcification in ApoE −/− mice via the inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2017; 1863:781-792. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2016.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Protective effect of ginsenoside Rh3 against anticancer drug-induced apoptosis in LLC-PK1 kidney cells. J Ginseng Res 2017; 41:227-231. [PMID: 28413329 PMCID: PMC5386128 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgr.2017.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Ginsenosides are active components of Panax ginseng that exert various health benefits including kidney protection effect. The medicinal activity of ginsenosides can be enhanced by modulating their stereospecificity by heat processing. Ginsenosides Rk2 and Rh3 represent positional isomers of the double bond at C-20(21) or C-20(22). Methods The present study investigated the kidney-protective effects of ginsenosides Rk2 and Rh3 against cisplatin, a platinum based anticancer drug, induced apoptotic damage in renal proximal LLC-PK1 cells. Results As a result, ginsenoside Rh3 shows a stronger protective effect than that shown by Rk2. Cisplatin-induced elevated protein levels of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and cleaved caspase-3 decreased after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rh3. The increase in the percentage of apoptotic LLC-PK1 cells induced by cisplatin treatment also significantly reduced after cotreatment with ginsenoside Rh3. Conclusion These results demonstrate that inhibition of the JNK and ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade plays a critical role in mediating the renoprotective effect of ginsenoside Rh3.
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